The UK is rare in allowing a number of gambling forms to be used legally by children under the age of 18. Some previous research indicates that adult problem gamblers are more likely to recollect using these products as children. However, no research has as yet assessed recollected levels of use irrespective of adult gambling status, or investigated these issues in other countries. This is relevant given that at least two of the tested products, coin push machines and crane grab machines, exist in other countries. The present research involves cross-sectional surveys conducted amongst UK (N=2,010) and Australian adults (N=640), associating recollected legal youth gambling usage with past 12-month gambling, and levels of problem gambling amongst adult gamblers. Adult gamblers recollected using more legal youth gambling products than non-gamblers. For example, 66.6% of UK gamblers reported legally buying National Lottery tickets aged 16-17, compared to 20.9% of UK non-gamblers; 60.8% of Australian gamblers reported using coin push machines as a child, compared to 48.6% of Australian non-gamblers. Overall, 18 of 19 tested associations were significant and in the hypothesized direction for the UK sample, compared to five of eight for the Australian sample. The legal provision of gambling to children is a topic for further international research and policy consideration.

英国很少允许18岁以下的儿童合法使用多种赌博形式。一些先前的研究表明，成年问题赌徒更容易将这些产品当作儿童使用。但是，尚无任何研究评估成年后的使用水平，而与成人赌博状况无关，也没有其他国家对此进行调查。鉴于在其他国家/地区中至少有两种测试产品，投币机和起重机抓取机，这一点很重要。本研究涉及在英国（N = 2,010）和澳大利亚成年人（N = 640）之间进行的横断面调查，将重新收集的合法青少年赌博使用情况与过去12个月的赌博以及成年赌徒中问题赌博的水平相关联。与非赌徒相比，成年赌徒对合法青少年赌博产品的使用更多。例如，有66.6％的英国赌徒报告合法购买16-17岁的国家彩票，而英国的非赌徒则占20.9％；60.8％的澳大利亚赌徒报告说在儿童时期使用投币机，而澳大利亚非赌徒的这一比例为48.6％。总体而言，在19个经过测试的协会中，有18个对英国样品具有显着意义，并且在假设的方向上，而在澳大利亚，则有8个中的5个。向儿童赌博的法律规定是进一步国际研究和政策考虑的话题。在19个经过测试的协会中，有18个在英国样本中具有显着性，并且在假设的方向上，而在澳大利亚样本中则是8个中的5个。向儿童赌博的法律规定是进一步国际研究和政策考虑的话题。在19个经过测试的协会中，有18个在英国样本中具有显着性，并且在假设的方向上，而在澳大利亚样本中则是8个中的5个。向儿童赌博的法律规定是进一步国际研究和政策考虑的话题。